Nesting metal pallet



April 1950 s. c. PORTER 2,503,562

Filed March 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1950 s c. PORTER 2,503,562

. NESTING IIETAL PALLET Filed larch 6, 1947 5'Shoets-Shoet 2 I p l 1950 s. c. PORTER 2,503,562

NESTING METAL PALLET Filed March 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 35 vzu'ron E13 0: 9 11:91 i 1%? April 5, -s. c; PORTER 2,503,562

mss'rmc mm. mum Filed March 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 P 11, 1950 s. c. PORTER 2,503,562

NES'I'ING IIETAL PALLET Filed larch 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 11, 1950 v Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 2,503,562

NESTING METAL PALLET Sidney C. Porter, Newell, W. Va.

Application March 6, 1947, Serial No. 732,694

7 Claims. (Cl. 248120) This invention relates in general to load-carobjectionable independent or relative movement rying mechanisms and in particular to pallets as between nested pallets.

for use in supporting relatively small articles and A further object is to produce a simple and-,ef for holding the same in position during the fective pallet which is capable of being easily transportation in a railway car or other similar oaded and unloaded and which is capable of covehicl operating with similar pallets in assembling a An object of the invention is to produce a loadload-carrying structure such that each pallet reing pallet which is strong and durable, is capable enforces adja nt pa lets in producing a substanof withstanding shocks and strains encountered tially continuous load-carrying platform and in during transportation, is so formed that it is resisting transportation strains and stresses and capable of cooperating with other pallets in abin absorbing the same so as to neutralize or sorbing thrusts, strains and stresses occasioned minimize the mass eflect of the load carried by by quick starts, stops and changes in direction the cooperating pallets.

of motion during transportation and is capable of A further object is to produce a three-sided being nested with similar pallets for return shipmetal pallet which is strong and durable, is easily ment, after being unloaded. loaded and unloaded and is capable of being ei- It is well recognized that small articles are fectively nested with other similar pallets to ialikely to move independently during shipment cilitate shipment when unloaded. in vehicles such as railway cars. This is par- These and other objects are attained by means ticularly objectionable with heavy articles, such of mechanisms embodying the features herein as bricks, which, because of their weight, are described and illustrated inthe drawings accom-- likely to move through the end of the car in which panying and forming a part hereof.

they are loaded when the car is either started In the drawings:

or stopped too quickly. That is to say, the mass Figure 1 is an isometric view of a pallet emaction of such merchandise may damage or even bodying my invention looking into the pallet.

wreck the transporting vehicle where a large bulk Figure 2 is a plan view of the pallet shown in of such articles is involved and where the inertia Figure 1.

efl'ect of individual articles throughout the mass Figure 3 is a side elevation of the pallet lookof articles may supplement that of other articles. ing in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2.

Because of difficulties of this type, the practice 9 Figure 4 is a side elevation of the pallet looking has grown up of employing loading or shipment v in a direction at right angles to that indicated pallets which, in efiect, act as a container for a by the arrow of Figure 2.

relatively small number of articles and thus elim- Figure 5 is an isometric view of the pallet inate, to some extent, the mass eflfect of the arshown in Figure 1 and so taken as to disclose the -ticles in response to a quick start or a quick stop external face of the near upright wall constitutor a sudden change inthe direction or rate of ing a part of the pallet.

movement. Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view, portions being An object of the present invention is to produce broken away for convenience of illustration, a loading pallet which is rigid, strong and durable showing the relative arrangement of cooperating but which involves a minimum of material in its pallets and reenforcing structure when assemmake-up, is capable of being readily loaded and bled in load-carrying relationship in transportaunloaded and is so formed that it cooperates with tion vehicles such as railway cars. other pellets in segregating the articles carried Figure 7 is a diagrammatic side elevation 0! thereby into relatively small groups and in prepallets and supporting structure such as are venting the mass effect of such articles by abillustrated in Figure 6.

sorbing the strains occasioned by the inertia of Figures 8, 9 and 10 are respectively plan view, the articles in resisting movement while stationside elevation and rear view of a locking wedge ny nd in resisting a change in the rate or direcfor use in securing pallets in place in a transportation of movement while in motion. tion vehicle when the pallets are assembled to A further object is to produce a loading pallet form a load-carrying structure. of the character described which is not only ca- Figure 11 is an isometric view of the wedge pable of being effectively nested with other simishown in Figures 8, 9 and 10. lar pallets, for return shipment after being un- The pallet embodying my invention consists of loaded, but which is effectively secured to those three major portions, via, a rectangular floor pallets with which it is nested, so as to prevent structure and two upright wall structures secured a,sos,sca

to the floor structure and extending along adjacent edges thereof. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the floor structure is square, and is provided with a supporting structure for supporting it in an elevated position on a floor or platform such as the floor of a railway car. The support structure includes, together with other elements, at least one leg which is adapted to perform the double function of a support and of a member which may be employed as an interlocking member in securing two or more pallets in nested relationship when the same are unloaded. The support structure is so formed with relation to the floor structure, as to facilitate the handling of the loaded pallets or nested pallets by a lift truck and also to contribute to the eflec- I tive nesting of unloaded pallets.

Referring to the drawings: Each pallet consists essentially of a substantially rectangular iloor structure It and two upright walls It and H which are secured to the floor structure, extend along adjacent edges thereof and are secured together at their adjacent edges. In the illustrated embodiment, the pallet is provided with a support structure which includes support members l8, l9 and 20. Each of the support members l8 and I9 is shown in the form of a structural channel. Each is secured to the floor structure l5 and the two members extend along adjacent edges of the floor structure. Their abutting ends are preferably secured together by any suitable means such as welding. The support member is shown in the form of an angle bar which extends along the adjacent edges of the upright walls It and I1 and, by being secured to those walls, rigidly holds them in fixed position with relation to each other. The member 20 is preferably secured to the walls It and I! by welding. It extends downwardly below those walls so that its lower edge is located in the plane defined by the lower edges of the support members I8 and IS. The floor structure [5 is provided with a slot 2| located immediately adjacent the member 20. In the illustrated embodiment, this slot extends diagonally of the floor structure, is of suillcient width to receive a support member similar to the member 20 and is of such length that several such members may be received thereby in the operation of nesting unloaded pallets.

Each of the support members It and I9 is provided with a rectangular slot 22 which is formed in the web portion thereof and extends longitudinally of the member. Each of these slots is adapted to receive the forwardly projecting extension or fork of a lift truck and slots are so located that two such trucks may simultaneously engage either of the members It Or IS. A reference to Figure 5 will disclose that the two sides of the pallet, opposite those fitted with the support members it and I9, are open below the floor structure l5 so that one or more lift trucks may be employed on one such side during the operation of moving either a loaded or unloaded pallet or a nest ofpallets.

The floor structure and each of the two side walls are made of steel or other suitable metal and are, in eifect, corrugated, thus adding strength to the'pallet. The corrugating effect is accompllshed in the illustrated embodiment by fabricating the floor structure and each of the side walls from metal plates 23 and channel irons 14. The plates and channels are alternately arranged and are preferably secured together by welding.

In a structure such as illustrated, each of the plates 23 of the floor structure may bebent at right angles, as shown in Figures 1 and 5, so that it not only forms a part of the floor-structure but also forms a part of the side wall it. The channels 24 of the floor structure may likewise be bent so that each constitutes a part of the side wall It. This, however, is not essential to my invention and it will, of course, be understood that the channels and plates of the side wall I. may be separately formed as shown, for example, in connection with the side wall 11. Under such conditions, the abutting ends of the channels 2| of the floor structure and the side wall It will be secured together by welding or in any other suitablemanner.

As shown, one end plate 23 of the floor structure is secured along its edge to a channel 25 which. in turn, is secured to the support members II and 20. The plates 23 and channels 24 of the side wall II are preferably secured to the floor structure by welding. Each side wall is shown as reenforced by an angle bar 28. These angle bars extend along the end channels and one leg thereof is secured to such channels, preferably by welding. The other leg is secured to the adjacent plate 23. Each end plate is provided near the top with an eye or aperture 21 for receiving a crane hook during the operation of handling either the loaded or unloaded pallets. Each eye 21 is so positioned in the plate that it is also formed in the adjacent leg of the angle bar 28.

By employing similar three-sided pallets such as illustrated, I am able to assemble a load-carrying structure from these pallets which, in effect, provides a continuous metal load-carrying platform and an arrangement of upright walls which segregates the load carried by each pallet from that carried by every other pallet and, in effect, provides continuous partitions extending in spaced relation both along and across the assembled load-carrying platform. That is to say, pallets such as illustrated may be employed in constructing a load-carrying structure wherein the pallets cooperate to, in effect, form a continuous load-carrying platform which is traversed both lengthwise and crosswise by spaced partitions. Each of these partitions is, in effect, continuous so that each side wall of each pallet, employed in the assembled structure, cooperates with side walls of adjacent pallets in providing struts which extend lengthwise and crosswise of the assembled load-carrying platform. These.

struts are eflective in transmitting thrusts which 'are occasioned by shocks and strains resulting from transportation conditions.

As previously noted, each of the pallets illustrated as the now preferred embodin ient of my invention is provided with a substantially square floor structure, the length and width of which is about, but a little less than, one-thirdthe width of the ordinary railway freight car. In

Figure 6, I have diagrammatically illustrated such a freight car with portions broken away for convenience of illustration. Figure -6 also illustrates a method of employing the pallets so as to produce an assembled structure such as I have previously'described.

As there illustrated, -a loaded pallet pl is fitted into one corner of the car 30 and is so located with relation to the adjacent end and side walls of the car that its side or upright walls I. and l1 and the adjacent walls of the car form a compartment which is, in effect, surrounded by four pl. It is also so positioned with relation to the pallet pl and the end wall of the car that its upright walls l6 and I1, together with the upright wall I! of the pallet pl and the end wall of the car, form a four-sided load-carrying compartment. The pallet p3 is similarly located with relation, to the end wall of the car and the pallet p2. Under such conditions, the three pallets cooperate to form, in effect, a continuous loadsupporting platform extending across the car and divided into three parts by vertically extending partitions, i. e., the upright walls H. The cooperation of the side walls l6 of the three pallets, in effect, forms a transverse strut extending from one side wall of the car toward the other.

In Figure 6, I have shown the three pallets, pl, p2 and P3 secured against transverse movement with relation to the car by means of two wedges 3|, such as are illustrated in Figures 8 to 11, inclusive. By such an arrangement, the side walls l6 of the three cooperating pallets are effective the pallets are arranged at one end of the car.

so that one side, wall of the car cooperates to forma closing wall for end pallets of each row, whereas at the other end of the car, the other side wall performs this function. Under such conditions, the positioning wedges 3| engage one side wall of the carat One end of the car and the other side wall at the other end of the car.

In Figure 6, I have also disclosed the use of a spreader structure made up of cross timbers 32 and spreaders33. Each spreader 33 is shown as provided with a cooperating screw jack 34 for normally placing the spreaders under compression and thus firmly positioning the pallets in place,in opposite ends of the car. In Figure '7, the spreader structure is illustrated as located above the floor of the freight car and as held in position by means of posts 35. It will be understood that wedges 3l may be employed instead wall of the car and the adjacent upright wall of a pallet. As a preliminary to dropping the wedge to place, it is so positioned that its base will enage the side wall of the pallet and its narrow end is down. The corrugations in the faces Me of the cooperating wedges of each pair interlock and thus prevent lateral relative movement of the wedges of each pair.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the wedges 3| may be secured to the floor of the freight car and 50 positioned as to replace the spreader structure previously described. It, however, will be apparent that where a spreader structure, as illustrated, is employed, the upright walls I! of the various pallets included in an assembled structure, cooperate to form spaced longitudinal struts which are effective in transmitting thrust to one or the other end walls of the car, as the case may be.

In removing the pallets from a vehicle, such as a freight car, the spreaders or the substitute structures are first removed. The wedges 3| between each transverse row of pallets and the side wall of the car are removed as a preliminary to moving the pallets of such transverse row. Lift trucks can be conveniently employed for moving the loaded pallets both into and out of transportation vehicles and where cranes are available, they may also be employed for moving the loaded pallets from place to place after removal from the vehicle.

In Figure 2, I have shown reenforcing plates secured to the underside of the floor structure of the pallet. These plates extend longitudinally and transversely of the pallet and are particularly adapted to cooperate with the forks of lift trucks, during the operation of moving a pallet. A shown in Figure 2, each pallet may be proyided with two reenforcing plates 31 which extend parallel to each other in spaced relationship and are so located on the pallet that they are engaged by the fork of a lift truck during the opof the spreader structure for the purpose of securing the pallets against longitudinal movement relatively to the freight car.

As illustrated in Figures 8 to 11, each wedge may be fabricated from metal plate material. As there shown, the wedge consists of a base plate 3la, side walls 3lb and a wall 3lc which is inclined with relation to the base plate and terminates on the base plate at one end. This wall 3lc is preferably corrugated, as shown, primarily for the purpose of positioning the wedges of a cooperating pair with relation to each other. As to this, it is noted that freight cars vary in width. For this reason, a wide car will necessitate replacing each of the wedges 3|, as illustrated in Figure 6, by a pair of cooperating eration of moving the pallet with such a truck. Transverse plates 38 are located in spaced relationship and are positioned between the plates 31. It will be noted that the plates 31 are so positioned that each is engaged by-the fork of a lift truck inserted through an adjacent aperture 22.

After the pallets are unloaded, they may be readily nested. The nesting operation is simple and merely consists in locating the floor structure of one pallet on that of another in such re- 1 supporting pallet. Two or more pallets may, in

this manner, be nested together and it will be apparent that the side walls l6 and I1 and also the support members l8 and I9 contribute to this nesting operation. The interengagement of the legs 20 of the nested members with the slots 2| of other pallets of the nest, in effect secure the pallets in nesting position with relation to each other.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the three-sided pallet of my invention has the advantage of being readily loaded and unloaded because the load-carrying floor thereof is accessible from the top and two sides. It also has the advantage of strength and durability with a minimum of weight. This is occasioned by the fact that the upright sides are rigidly secured to the floor structure, are rigidly secured together, are reenforced along their adjacent edges and are reenforced along their free vertical edges. In addition, the upright sides of each pallet cooperate 7 with those of other pallets in the assembled loadcarrying structure.

A further advantage results from the structural features which contribute to the easy nesting of the unloaded pallets. The fact that each pallet is three-sided, is provided with at least one support member in the form of a leg and the floor structure is apertured immediately adjacent such leg, contributes to the ease of nesting the unloaded pallets. In the illustrated embodiment, the fact that the continuous support members it and I! extend at right angles to each other and are located diagonally across from the support member (leg) 20 and the aperture II, also contributes to the ease of nesting and gives some degree of permanency to each nest of two or more unloaded pallets. This is due to the fact that the relationship of the legs 20 and the slots 2! is such, in a nest of two or more pallets, as to substantially interlock the nested pallets. In addition, the support members It and IQ of different pallets of a nest overlap each other and, with the upright walls It and I1, limit relative motion between adjacent pallets of the nest.

While I have illustrated but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, additions and omissions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A loading pallet comprising a substantially rectangular floor structure; two contiguous upright wall structures extending along contiguous sides of said floor structure rigidly secured thereto and rigidly secured to each other; a supporting leg secured to and extending below said floor structure and located at one corner thereof and additional supports for said structure spaced from said leg, said floor structure having a slot formed therein adjacent to said legand adapted to receive the corresponding leg of a similar pallet.

2. A three sided car-loading pallet comprising a substantially rectangular floor structure having a leg-receiving aperture formed therein adjacent one corner thereof; two contiguous side walls rigidly secured to said floor structure and extend-.

ing substantially at right angles to each other and to said floor structure and along the two contiguous edges thereof adjacent said aperture; a supporting leg for said pallet'extending along and secured to the adjacent edges of said side walls and projecting below said floor structure at the corner thereof adjacent said aperture; and

two supports for said pallet secured to the two contiguous edges of said floor structure remote from said aperture.

3. A three sided car-loading pallet, comprising a substantially rectangular floor structure having a leg-receiving aperture formed therein adjacent one corner thereof; two contiguous side walls rigidly secured to said floor structure and to each other and extending substantially at right angles to each other and to said floor structure along the two contiguous edges of the floor structure adjacent said aperture; a supporting leg for said pallet located at the comer of said floor structure adjacent said aperture; and two continuous supports for said pallet rigidly secured to said floor structure and extending along the two contiguous edges of the floor structure remote from said aperture.

4. A shipping assembly composed of empty carloading pallets nested together; each such pallet consisting of a rectangular floor structure having a leg-receiving aperture formed therein adjacent one corner thereof, two contiguous side walls rigidly secured to the floor structure and to each 1 other and extending substantially at right angles to each other and to said floor structure and along the two contiguous edges of the floor structure adjacent said aperture, and a supporting structure secured to said floor structure and including at least one supporting leg; said pallets being located in superimposed relationship in the assembly, with each side wall of each supporting pallet located adjacent-to and overlapping a side wall of a superimposed pallet and with the supporting leg of each superimposed pallet engaging the aperiiure in the floor structure of the supporting palle 5. A shipping assembly composed of empty car- .oading pallets nested together; each such pallet consisting of a substantially rectangular floor structure having a leg-receiving aperture formed therein adjacent one corner thereof, two contiguous side walls secured to said floor structure and to each other and extending substantially at right angles to each other and to said floor structure and along the two contiguous edges of the floor structure adjacent said aperture, a supporting leg for said floor structure located at the corner thereof adjacent said aperture and a separate support for said floor structure secured to each of the two contiguous edges of the floor remote from said aperture; said pallets being located in superimposed relation one to the other,

- with each upright wall of each supporting pallet overlapping an upright wall of a superimposed pallet, with the supporting leg of each superimposed pallet engaging the leg-receiving aperture of a supporting pallet and with each separate support ofa superimposed pallet overlapping a separate support of a supporting pallet.

6. A three sided car-loading pallet, composed of a substantially rectangular loading platform having a leg-receiving aperture formed therein, two contiguous upright wall structures extending along and rigidly secured to contiguous edges of said platform, each such structure extending substantially at right angles to said platform and to the other structure, and supports for said platform rigidly secured thereto, one such support being in the form of a leg located adjacent said aperture.

7. A three sided car-loading pallet, composed of a substantially rectangular loading platform having a leg-receiving aperture formed therein adjacent to one corner thereof; two contiguous upright wall structures extending along and rigidly secured to contiguous edges of said platform and supports for said platform rigidly secured thereto and extending downwardly therefrom, one such support extending upwardly above said platform along the contiguous edges of said wall structures and rigidly secured to both such strucures.

SIDNEY C. PORTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

